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John's Gospel Quartet - John's Gospel Quartet

(Wango LP-105) c1965/6

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The third Wango LP was mainly recorded at the same Nov. 1964 sessions that also produced the John's Gospel Quartet - Songs Of Mother And Home LP. Recorded at Ray Davis' radio studio at Johnny's Used Cars in Baltimore,^[1] the album features several Gospel favourites that The Stanley Brothers had recorded previously, or Ralph Stanley would go on to re-record throughout his long solo career.

I doubt that all of the songs were cut in the Nov. 1964 session. Will You Miss Me for instance is the same version as the one they recorded at the first Wango sessions in Dec. 1963, and which appeared on John's Country Quartet album.

Of Will You Miss Me Ralph later commented:- "I could tell there was a bitter taste when he sang the words out, like the way old A.P. (Carter) sang 'It'll Aggravate Your Soul'. He was making it his song, like A.P.'s story had become his story, and it was like he already knew the ending... It was hard to watch Carter singing his own epitaph right there on-stage."^[2]

Originally Ray Davis sold the Wango albums over the air, and they were housed in plain cardboard sleeves. I've seen copies go for $100 or so on ebay, but fortunately the albums have all been reissued, with Wango 105 being reissued as Stanley Brothers Of Virginia, Vol. 4 on LP.

It's a shame that all four albums haven't appeared on CD - they would after all easily fit on a double CD set.

The LP has at least two label variations with a different font for the band name. Both are the same burgundy colour (my camera messed up the 'alternate' label colours!).

Thanks to Todd Gracyk & Tom Payne for the corrections/additional info.

• Carter Stanley: guitar, vocals
• Ralph Stanley: banjo, vocals
• Jack Cooke: guitar
• Barry Glickman: bass
• Red Stanley: fiddle

For much more detailed information on these sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 186-189 and 215-216.

^{[1] Gary B. Reid's "The Music Of The Stanley Brothers" book (p. 186-189)
[2] Eddie Dean and Ralph Stanley's book 'Man Of Constant Sorrow' (p.235-237)}